God Redeems Israel for His Own Name's Sake

"Thank the Lord for He is good, for His kindness endures forever. Let those redeemed by the Lord speak out, those whom He has redeemed from distress. This is what the verse says (Isaiah 48:11): 'For My sake, for My sake I will act, for how can My name be profaned?' When the verse says 'For My sake,' it does not mean it just once, but twice 'For My sake, for My sake.'

The Almighty says, 'I act only for the sake of My name, so that it will not be desecrated.' And why does it say 'For My sake, for My sake' twice? The Almighty says, 'I redeemed you from Egypt for the sake of My name, as it says (Psalms 106:8), "And He saved them for the sake of His name." And I will also redeem you in the future, just as I redeemed you in this world.

This is also what it says (Ecclesiastes 1:9): 'What has been will be again.' This is why it says 'For My sake, for My sake' twice. And why does it say (Isaiah 48:11), 'I will not yield My glory to another'? Rabbi Huna the priest said in the name of Rabbi Avin, this is what Moses rebuked the Israelites for at the end of the forty years (Deuteronomy 9:4): 'You know full well that it was not because of your righteousness that the Lord your God gave you this good land to possess, for you are a stiff-necked people.'

This shows that God acts only for the sake of His great name. This is why David said, 'For His name's sake, He turns to me.' Thank the Lord for He is good. Rabbi Berachiah said in the name of Rabbi Chelbo in the name of Rabbi Samuel, what does it mean when it says 'Let those redeemed by the Lord speak out'?

It means the people of Israel. This is also what Isaiah explains (Isaiah 35:10): 'And the redeemed of the Lord shall return.' It does not say 'the redeemed of Elijah' or 'the redeemed of the Messiah,' but 'the redeemed of the Lord.'"